I perfected a Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes recipe as Oven Baked Smashed Potatoes that yields crispy, cheesy bites perfect for serving with pork steak, chicken, or any main course.

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I’ll confess, I love a side that steals the show. These smashed potatoes deliver crisp, golden edges and gooey cheesy pockets that make everyone reach across the table.

Using baby Yukon Gold or small red potatoes and a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, they somehow feel both simple and a little bit showy. I serve them next to pork steak or fold them into my Side Dish Recipes For Steak rotation, and when I want extra crunch I call them Oven Baked Smashed Potatoes and watch them vanish.

They look fancy but they’re kind of forgiving, which is exactly my kind of recipe.

Ingredients

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Creamy Yukon golds give carbs, fiber, and a buttery texture when smashed, not starchy.
Extra virgin oil add healthy fats, crisp edges and a richer flavor, not greasy.
Butter brings rich, savory notes and melts into potatoes, adding calories but great flavor.
Garlic gives punchy, slightly sweet and pungent flavor, contains antioxidants, use finely minced.
Salty, nutty Parmesan add umami, protein and calcium, melts into crispy browned bits.
Mozzarella makes it gooey and mild, adds protein, stretch and comforting melty texture.
Fresh parsley and lemon brighten flavor, add tiny vitamins and a fresh herbiness.

Ingredient Quantities

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold or small red potatoes, scrubbed (about 24 small potatoes)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional, but I always add it)

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, packed

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, optional for extra gooeyness

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Fresh lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon, optional for brightness

How to Make this

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1. Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or lightly oil it, then bring a big pot of water to a boil and stir in the 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

2. Add the scrubbed baby Yukon Gold or small red potatoes and boil until a fork slides through easily, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on size.

3. Drain the potatoes well and let them sit a few minutes to steam off excess moisture, or shake them in the pot so they dry a bit, this helps them crisp.

4. Arrange the potatoes on the prepared sheet with space between each one, then smash each potato to about 1/2 inch thickness using the bottom of a glass or a potato masher, don’t crush them flat though.

5. In a small bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, the 2 tablespoons melted butter, the 3 finely minced garlic cloves, the 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and the 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

6. Brush or spoon that garlicky oil mixture all over and into the nooks of each smashed potato so they’re well coated, making sure most potatoes get some minced garlic.

7. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan evenly over the potatoes (pat some into the creases so it crisps), then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until edges are golden and crispy, you can rotate the pan once for even browning.

8. If you want extra gooeyness, scatter the 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella over the potatoes in the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking and return to oven until melted and bubbly, or pop under the broiler for 1 minute if you like browned cheese.

9. Remove from oven, sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, add a little fresh lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon for brightness if using, taste and serve hot with your favorite main.

Equipment Needed

1. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly oiled
2. Big pot for boiling the potatoes
3. Colander or slotted spoon to drain them
4. Flat-bottomed glass or potato masher to smash the potatoes
5. Small bowl and a whisk or fork to mix the oil, butter and garlic
6. Pastry brush or spoon to coat the potatoes well
7. Microplane or fine grater for Parmesan and lemon zest
8. Oven mitts plus a spatula or tongs to remove and serve

FAQ

Q: Can I use other potatoes besides baby Yukon Gold or small red potatoes? A: Yes, you can, but baby Yukons and reds work best because they're waxy and hold together when smashed. Larger russets will get fluffier and may fall apart, so if you use them cut into even chunks and boil a little less so they dont disintegrate.

Q: How do I get the edges super crispy while keeping the inside soft? A: Boil until just tender then drain and let them dry a bit, coat well with oil and melted butter, smash thin, and roast hot at 425 to 450°F until golden and crisp. Flip once partway through so both sides brown. Adding Parmesan right before the end helps create extra crunch.

Q: Can I make these ahead of time or reheat leftovers? A: Yep. You can boil and store cooled potatoes in the fridge for a day then smash and roast when ready. For reheating, use a hot oven or air fryer until crisp again, about 10 to 15 minutes at 400°F, don’t microwave or they'll get soggy.

Q: What if I want them less garlicky or dairy free? A: No problem, cut the minced garlic or skip the garlic powder, swap butter and cheeses for vegan butter and dairy free cheese or sprinkle nutritional yeast for cheesiness. They still crisp up great with enough oil.

Q: I dont have a masher, how do I smash them? A: Use the bottom of a sturdy glass, a fork, or the flat side of a wide spatula. Press down firmly until the potato is flattened to about a half inch thick, but not so hard it rips into tiny bits.

Q: Are these good for serving a crowd and how much per person? A: Yes they're excellent for groups. With 2 pounds you'll get about 24 small smashed potatoes, plan on 4 to 6 per person as a side depending on appetite, or more if people love finger foods.

The Best Smashed Potatoes Recipe – Crispy, Buttery, & Cheesy! Substitutions and Variations

Potatoes: no baby Yukons or small reds? Use fingerlings, small russets, or thin-skinned sweet potatoes. Fingerlings stay waxy and hold shape, russets give a fluffier center and extra crisp, sweet potatoes will be sweeter and need a bit more roast time.
Extra virgin olive oil: swap with avocado oil or light vegetable oil for a higher smoke point, or use melted ghee if you want a richer, buttery browning.
Unsalted butter: go dairy free with vegan butter or use extra olive oil, or substitute ghee for a nuttier flavor. If you only have salted butter, cut back on the added kosher salt.
Parmesan / mozzarella: try Pecorino Romano for a sharper, saltier kick, Asiago or provolone for good melt, or nutritional yeast to keep it vegan and cheesy. Taste before extra salting since some cheeses are much saltier.

Pro Tips

– Let the potatoes dry and get a little roughed up after draining, don’t rush this part. Give them a good shake in the pot or let them sit a few minutes so surface moisture evaporates, then smash just enough so the skins tear and form creases where things can crisp up. Also, preheat the baking sheet in the oven for a few minutes if you want an extra crunchy bottom, it really helps.

– Be generous with placing minced garlic into the crevices, but watch timing so it does not burn. If your garlic starts smelling bitter toward the end of baking, pull them out and finish under the broiler for a quick blast of color instead of leaving them to char.

– Press some of the grated Parmesan into the little folds before baking, that gives blistered, crispy pockets of cheese. If you want gooeyness, add the mozzarella only in the last few minutes so it melts and doesn’t make everything soggy.

– Finish with bright and crunchy contrasts, they make these feel less heavy. A squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of lemon zest plus flaky sea salt and fresh parsley right off the oven turns them from good to addictive, so taste at the end and adjust.

The Best Smashed Potatoes Recipe – Crispy, Buttery, & Cheesy!

Recipe by Nikoli Athen

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected a Garlic Parmesan Smashed Potatoes recipe as Oven Baked Smashed Potatoes that yields crispy, cheesy bites perfect for serving with pork steak, chicken, or any main course.

Servings

servings

Calories

290

kcal

Equipment: 1. Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or lightly oiled
2. Big pot for boiling the potatoes
3. Colander or slotted spoon to drain them
4. Flat-bottomed glass or potato masher to smash the potatoes
5. Small bowl and a whisk or fork to mix the oil, butter and garlic
6. Pastry brush or spoon to coat the potatoes well
7. Microplane or fine grater for Parmesan and lemon zest
8. Oven mitts plus a spatula or tongs to remove and serve

Ingredients

2 pounds baby Yukon Gold or small red potatoes, scrubbed (about 24 small potatoes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional, but I always add it)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, packed
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, optional for extra gooeyness
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Fresh lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon, optional for brightness

Directions

Preheat your oven to 450°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or lightly oil it, then bring a big pot of water to a boil and stir in the 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
Add the scrubbed baby Yukon Gold or small red potatoes and boil until a fork slides through easily, about 15 to 20 minutes depending on size.
Drain the potatoes well and let them sit a few minutes to steam off excess moisture, or shake them in the pot so they dry a bit, this helps them crisp.
Arrange the potatoes on the prepared sheet with space between each one, then smash each potato to about 1/2 inch thickness using the bottom of a glass or a potato masher, don’t crush them flat though.
In a small bowl whisk together 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, the 2 tablespoons melted butter, the 3 finely minced garlic cloves, the 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and the 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
Brush or spoon that garlicky oil mixture all over and into the nooks of each smashed potato so they’re well coated, making sure most potatoes get some minced garlic.
Sprinkle the 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan evenly over the potatoes (pat some into the creases so it crisps), then bake for 20 to 25 minutes until edges are golden and crispy, you can rotate the pan once for even browning.
If you want extra gooeyness, scatter the 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella over the potatoes in the last 4 to 5 minutes of baking and return to oven until melted and bubbly, or pop under the broiler for 1 minute if you like browned cheese.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, add a little fresh lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon for brightness if using, taste and serve hot with your favorite main.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.